Scotland discipline six players including Finn Russell and captain Stuart Hogg after Six Nations squad rule breach

Six Scotland players, including captain Stuart Hogg and talisman Finn Russell, have been disciplined for visiting an Edinburgh bar last weekend.

The group, which also included Ali Price, Sam Johnston, Sione Tuipilotu and Darcy Graham, are believed to have broken team rules in leaving the squad base after returning to the capital from Rome, where Scotland defeated Italy 33-22.

A statement from the Scottish Rugby Union confirmed: "The Scotland management team have this week dealt with a post-match matter involving six players following the game against Italy last weekend.

"The players involved have been spoken to individually and those conversations and outcomes will remain private.

"Preparations for the match against Ireland this week have been good and the whole squad is fully focused on achieving a positive result on Saturday."

Gregor Townsend has named four of the six in the team for this weekend’s concluding Six Nations match against Ireland in Dublin with Russell dropped to the bench and Tuipulotu released from the squad altogether – he could be involved for Glasgow Warriors’ 1872 Cup match with Edinburgh at Scotstoun on Friday after being named as a replacement.

Russell’s place at fly-half has been taken by Blair Kinghorn in a bold switch which has made the headlines this week. Kinghorn has only played the position once before for Scotland – against Tonga in the Autumn Tests last year – but functioned well for Edinburgh in the role.

Ireland are second in the Six Nations table, six points ahead of Scotland who are level in third with England. France lead the way with 18 points and face England on Saturday night.